The Rejected Luna

Chapter Two

Anastasia’s P.O.V

Teeth clattering, I tried moving but a sharp pain bolted across my belly and the force propelled me on the sticky floor splattered with blood.

What was I shifting now? I wondered as another painful cut lanced through my head, wrenching a strangled sob from my lips.

‘Stand up.’ I told myself, but I couldn’t lift myself up from the ground as tears stung the corners of my eyes.

Wrapping my arms across my belly as I lay on the dirty floor, I bit my lips hard to hold back a sob, hoping the people who’d murdered my family wouldn’t come for me.

God, for what I’d wished for since I was a baby, this was a fuckin' agony. Feeling my arms jerk apart forcefully, I screamed as claws shot out of my fingertips, tearing the tender skin.

Tears caused by the pain and the grief of seeing my pack members' lifeless bodies flooded my eyes. A warm metallic taste filled my mouth as my canines elongated behind my lips, piercing my lips.

Then the pain spiraled down to my spine. My formerly straight spine curved all by itself and I could feel the non-elastic twist of my backbone. I was a whimpering mess as the pain was too severe for me to continue screaming.

On all fours, I closed my eyes tight, wishing to wake up from this hellish nightmare. Creaking my eyes open a moment later, everything around me was sharp and focused, but nothing changed. This was my f*****g reality.

Rising to my feet, I saw my brother, Hunter, sprawled out a few feet from my toes. His stomach had been ripped open, his head bludgeoned and rested in a pool of his blood. Bran, my youngest brother, was huddled at his feet, a gaping wound in his chest.

An agonizing howl rose to my throat and I bit it back as my eyes found Anthony, the servant boy slumped in a corner, old Ralph spitted to the wall by a black shiny claw. Robbie, the young playful omega in her wolf form, her nanny and so many, many others…

I shook my head slowly from side to side, unable to accept what I was seeing. There was blood, blood everywhere. On the walls, pooling on the floors, coating my fur from where I’d lain on the ground. Blood splattered the food and dripped between the glasses of whiskey.

Blood and death, and the stench of murder everywhere—everywhere!

I reeled away with an anguished sob, my belly heaving. Bile filled my mouth, leaving me gagging and retching violently as my knees threatened to give way beneath me.

Everyone who attended the party was dead. Dead, every last one of them. But where was my father?

Was he also dead? But why wasn’t his body here? Then I remembered Gordie's words. Dancer! Chambers!

Then my father, alive or dead, must be in his room!

The thought spurred me and, like someone in a horrible nightmare which they wouldn’t wake from, I stumbled through the throng of bodies to the stairs.

The stairs hadn’t seemed as steep as they did tonight. It felt like a century before I crawled to the top. I stood there, in front of the door to Father’s room.

I was afraid to open the door, afraid to enter, afraid of what I’d see if I did…

With a prayer on my lips, I maneuvered my claws and pushed the door open. Reflecting in my eyes was a sight I would never forget till the day I took my last breath.

“No,” I whispered hoarsely, but my voice was a broken whine, too shocked to act. “No, it cannot be…not this!”

My strangled cry betrayed my presence and the creature slicing its claws into my father’s gut revealed its face. Bulging eyes, scaled skin, furry legs, and long black claws. It was a Gopher.

Words stuck in my throat and I closed my eyes waiting for death, but instead, a sudden gust of wind whizzed past me and I creaked my eyes open to meet an empty room.

It left. Why?

Breathless with terror, I ran to my father’s body.

“Father…” my voice quivered as I reached out trembling hands to him.

He was gasping for air as blood clogged his lungs. He was an Alpha but no werewolf was strong enough to fight against the venom of a Gopher.

“No!” I screamed internally as a growl ripped through my wolf’s lips. His blood seeped deeper into my fur and stained my claws. “Don’t f*****g die on me.”

“Come back now!” I screamed again as the tears plopped down my eyes. He was the last member of my family left. He couldn’t leave me.

I suddenly heard voices behind me and I turned around to see the faces of my remaining pack members who hadn’t attended my party.

I mind-linked them because I couldn’t speak in wolf form.

“Please! Please save him. You have to do something to save your Alpha.” I cried, convinced that something could still be done even when he’d stopped moving.

“What? You killed your father just like you’d killed our Luna and now you’re begging us to save him? What madness!” One of the pack members spat hatefully and the others nodded in agreement to his words.

It was like a slap to my face and I stumbled back a few feet. “What…what are you talking about? I would never hurt my father. He-he was here and i-I watched him die as a gopher killed him!”

Horrified gasps resounded around the room before a deep male voice cut through the clamoring.

“That is a lie!” The voice said from the back, “The princess is lying to cover up for her crimes. Gophers are a myth! They do not exist! She gained her wolf and couldn’t control herself, thereby murdering all the royal pack members.”

Grief and agony sliced through me like a hot knife as no one took my side. Their cruel words echoed in my head and I dug my claws into my palm to hold back a shout.

“Get out of here!” I heard another voice as I was pushed to the ground.

Although I was in my wolf form, grief and shock made me powerless and helpless as I fell.

The accusations and words from the crowd faded into the background and all that was left was the ringing in my ears.

The light in my eyes faded as I pulled myself knees up under my chin.

It was a gopher.’ I could hear my human moaning in my Psyche as they continued pointing fingers at me, the smell of blood heavy in the air.

“What are you all doing?” I heard a familiar male voice and my head snapped to his direction just as an intoxicating smell wafted into my nostrils.

Mate! The word fell through my lips and heat flooded my body at the sight of him.

“Liam…” I mind-linked him in a pitiful voice. Away from the pain and grief, I was glad that he was my fated mate. “You are my fated one.”

Unable to stop myself, I crawled to his feet, sobbing hysterically.

Eventually, I lifted myself from the floor as my flame stood before me, igniting my hope. Liam was here. He would make everything better and kill who dared to point fingers at his mate.

Staring into his eyes, I saw the brief look that flickered in its depth. Surprise. Liam was shocked that we were mates. Well, I guess that was okay. But the joy I expected didn’t come after.

“You killed your father, Ana!” he snarled and a frown creased my brow.

“You believe them, Liam?” I mind-linked him as my wolf desperately tried to connect with his but he kept shutting us out.

The ache in my heart increased terrifically at his words. How could he?

“There’s enough evidence. You are soaked with blood and you were hovering over your father’s body when we found you.” He gritted out and a stinging slap landed on my heart. “We both know that no one invaded the pack. You made wolf kill your father because he wouldn’t allow you marry me.”

“N-No…” I stuttered, a loud howl breaking through my lips but he cut me off immediately.

“Stop lying Anna.”

“But we all know that no one can kill an alpha except his own Beta!” I finally managed to scream, “There’s no way I’d be able to kill a wolf as powerful as my father without Gordie’s help.”

Just then a barely breathing Gordon was dropped at Liam’s feet and he pointed at him. “He confessed that the both of you planned this m******e together.”

His words were like a gust of wind and it threw me off my feet.

My knees met the ground and I slid my hands into Gordon’s. “Wake up and tell them it’s a lie. I’d never do this.”

But he was silent, his chest heaving painfully.

Looking up, I said to Liam in a weak, defeated shaky tone, “Liam…please believe me.” I peered into his eyes, hoping to reach the part of Liam that called me pretty and loved me.

With a cold look in his eyes, he declared what I’d never imagine even in my worst nightmare. “I, Liam McPhee reject you as my mate.”

I howled, feeling as though my heart was ripped out of my chest and thrown away. The words echoed in my head and black dots dotted my vision.

No! I gasped before the blackness overwhelmed me.